Color psychology and its role in branding are one of the most debatable aspects of marketing. Whether traditional or digital marketing, most marketers believe different colors can help define a marketing campaign in different ways.
Here’s everything marketers need to consider before choosing colors for a brand.
What Is Color Psychology
Color psychology uses color theory to determine the way the human brain reacts to different colors and impacts human behavior. Different colors are known to have distinct psychological effects, meanings, and connotations. Therefore, color psychology can be integral in many areas of life, including branding and marketing.
Of course, it’s important to remember that color psychology can’t always be generalized. Personal preferences and cultural contexts largely impact it. But marketers can still use it to their advantage by studying different hues, color combinations, and their target audience.
What Do Different Colors Indicate
Humans are highly visual creatures, so colors can greatly impact how we act and think. Sometimes they may affect different people differently; nonetheless, they will always leave some sort of impact.
Here are some common colors and what they generally represent.
Red
The color red is primarily associated with capturing attention and inciting intensity. That explains why CNN and Nintendo have it in their logos. It’s also linked to excitement, power, passion, and fearlessness, so it works well for brands hoping to have a stronger impact and create a sense of excitement and urgency to buy their products.
But at the same time, it’s worth considering that red can also evoke anger, pain, aggression, and defiance in some people. So, it needs to be used carefully.
Blue
Blue is the most popular color worldwide. It makes people feel calm and can help create a sense of trust and security. This would explain the heavy use of the color on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook and in the health industry. People share many personal data with these enterprises, and the blue hues make them appear more dependable.
Green
The color green represents life, health, hope, and prosperity. It can also be a nod toward freshness, which makes it a great choice for brands dealing with organic products. Since it’s a stark reminder of nature, it can also serve as a great color choice for brands positioning themselves as sustainable.
Brown
Like green, brown is also an earthy color and is great for marketing natural foods and products. It can bring a sense of comfort and security to customers. Brands that hope to appear dependable for their audience can benefit by using brown in their logos and websites.
Purple
Purple is the color of royalty and is often associated with superiority. It signifies wisdom, wealth, sophistication, imagination, and in some cases, spirituality. However, for some, the color purple may evoke feelings of suppression and moodiness.
Nonetheless, brands can use purple to create superior product appeal. Also, since too many companies don’t use purple in their branding, it can really help a brand stand out.
Pink
Pink is a color traditionally associated with femininity and is therefore used by lots of brands catering to a female audience. However, the color represents much more; it can make your brand look quirky, creative, and passionate. At some level, though, pink may also generate rebellious vibes and should therefore be used carefully in branding.
Black
Black is one of the most common colors used for logos. This is because most companies want to come across as professional and elegant, and the color black has the refined effect that helps them do that.
Of course, while black can help businesses in many industries look sleek and serious, it could be counterproductive in others. For instance, companies in the health industry would be better off using colors like green and blue that offer comfort and the promise of life, as opposed to black, which represents death.
White
White is a clean color with minimalist, modern vibes. Given the rise in minimalism lately, it’s no surprise that many brands have started choosing white for their logos and branding.
Many of these brands create simple combinations of white and black to create an elegant and aesthetic appeal.
How Do Colors Tie In With Your Branding Efforts
While it’s not easy, colors can be used to create an effective marketing campaign that helps you build a connection between your brand and its consumers. However, the colors you use have to be backed by research and a clear strategy to ensure they have the effect you’re aiming for.
Here are some tips on choosing the right color palette to represent your brand:
Choose A Color That’s in Line with What You’re Selling
As stated above, most colors evoke specific emotions and are linked to certain reactions. Using this color psychology, you should ensure that the colors you choose for a campaign align with the products and services being sold. For instance, blue may be a calming color, but it has no place in a marketing campaign for food, where it can feel cold and dissociated.
Make Sure the Color You Choose Shows Your Brand in The Best Possible Light
Customers look at more than just products; they look at a brand’s personality. The colors you choose for your branding can help you tailor these perceptions to a certain degree. For instance, if you want your brand to look professional and modern, the color black may be a good choice.
Also, you may want to choose a color that sets you apart from the crowd, especially if you’re in a more competitive industry.
Take Your Target Audience’s Personal Preferences into Account
One crucial thing to consider when choosing your brand’s colors is considering your target audience’s personal preferences. This might take some thorough market research, and you may want to look at other successful businesses in your industry to see their colors. While colors may not be the only reason for their success—they may have a role worth considering.
Needless to say, choosing the right colors for your branding isn’t an easy task. It takes a lot of research and marketing insights to make a choice you won’t regret. It’s a task best left to professionals like us. As one of the best SEO marketing companies, X Times More can help with all aspects of advertising and marketing, including branding, web design, and social media marketing services.
Contact us to discuss it all further.